Early in the year when COVID-19 hit, the unemployment rate reached 14.7%, and millions of Americans lost their jobs and some later lost their homes to eviction or not being able to pay rent. A program launched by the city of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Bar Association has a total of $5.3 million that could provide relief to Duval residents and small businesses who are challenged by rent or mortgage payments.

Applications for relief are open today and could provide eligible citizens with up to $5,000 for a residential property and up to $10,000 for a commercial property.

Payments would go directly to the landlord or lender.

The funds are a fragment of the $167 million dollars in CARES Act money given to the city of Jacksonville by the federal government. 

According to Jacksonville, the City Council unanimously approved the program and decided to use the CARES Act funds to help prevent eviction and foreclosure.

The idea for the program was presented to Mayor Lenny Curry’s staff by the Jacksonville Bar Association after an akin process was done in Orlando.

“As a civic-minded organization, we are excited to see the CARES Act funds get in the hands of the families and small businesses that need it most during the pandemic,”  chairman of the Jacksonville Bar Association’s committee Christian George said to the Florida Times Union.

The application requires verifiable documents that demonstrate a loss of income due to COVID-19.

For more information on the application, visit here.

Rent is just one out of many COVID-19 struggles, hopefully our nation continues to find ways to help our citizens recover from the pandemic.

Featured Image courtesy of Tierra Mallorca via Unsplash.

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